In simple real estate terms, “Location, location, location!” This is the reason why, much like the human residents of the beautiful and highly desirable neighborhood of Phoenix, Arizona, Arcadia has drawn so much attention from the Rattus rattus; a.k.a. the Roof Rat.

Roof rats are omnivores, which lead them to seek food from both plant and animal sources. The Arcadia roof rats are very fond of the abundant fruit, which lines the streets of this Phoenix community. Fruit trees in Arcadia produce thousands of tons of fresh citrus every year. Most of this fruit was unpicked until the recent adoption of the Arcadia Citrus Program in 2002. Since that time, over 1.5 million pounds of citrus has been donated, removing it from the trees and streets where the roof rats have an open buffet. But Arcadia’s rodents rely on more then just the ever present and abundant citrus fruit. They also eat flowering plants, cactus, pet food, stored food, insects, trash, birdseed, and snails.

But Why Arcadia?

The truth is that rodent control and pest control companies such as Rodent Proof LLC have seen a roof rat presence in many Phoenix neighborhoods, including those surrounding Arcadia. This means that Arcadia is not alone in the fight against roof rats. Roof rats have spread north to Paradise Valley, throughout central Phoenix’s Biltmore area, and to other valley locations including Scottsdale.

What makes Arcadia notable is that since 2001, roof rats seems to have stemmed from this region, marking this as the first noticeable neighborhood to experience the roof rat problem in Phoenix. With an unlimited supply of fruit and a plethora of insects, which are part of the citrus ecosystem, roof rats have an endless supply of food and nourishment.

An abundance of easily accessible water is another source of Arcadia’s link to the large population of roof rats. From the citrus fruit’s moisture, to the countless swimming pools, and infinite run of landscaping lines within the Arcadia neighborhoods, the roof rat has a very short trek to find food, water, and shelter. A roof rat will travel over 300 feet to find food or water from its shelter. Having such an abundance of food, water, and shelter allows Arcadia’s roof rat population to grow very quickly.

The growing roof rat population needs shelter, which is also easy for the resourceful rodents to find in the Arcadia area. Having many overhead telephone, cable, and power lines, roof rats can cross from yard to yard very easily and often undetected by home owners. The Arizona roof rats find Arcadia homes easy to enter, providing safe shelter from predators and the natural elements such as heat, rain, and cold.

Considering the combination of ample and accessible shelter, a vast supply of food, and unlimited water sources it’s really no mystery why these hungry foraging rodents have chosen such a great location as Arcadia, Arizona to make their home.

How Many Roof Rats Live in Arcadia?

To date, there have been no biological studies to show the exact roof rat population in Arcadia or Arizona in general. But, a single female roof rat can produce five to eight rat pups per litter. In the perfect Arizona climate, that same female rat can have five or more litters per year. That means if just one female rat breeds forty new roof rats per year, the potential for hundreds of thousands—and even millions—of roof rats are possible within Arcadia and the greater Phoenix area. Roof rats travel in groups, so where this is one, you can be sure that there are more. Just how many is anyone’s guess at this time.

The wildlife and pest management experts at Rodent Proof LLC have protected many Arcadia homes from roof rats with unparalleled success against further infestations.